Reversible auxiliary handle for lawn trimmers



April 3, 1951 A. J. EBER REVERSIBLE AUXILIARY HANDLE FOR LAWN TRIMMERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 3, 1947 FIG. J

FIG. 4

swam/too ALFRED J. EBER April 3, 1951 A. J. EBER REVERSIBLE AUXILIARY HANDLE FOR LAWN TRIMMERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 3, 1947 Patented Apr. 3, 1951 REVERSIBLE AUXILIARY HANDLE FOB LAWN TRIMMERS Alfred J. Eber, Monroe, Mich ApplicationOctober 3, 1947,-Serial No. 777,752 7 2 Claims. (01. 16-111) This invention relates to an improved handle structure for lawn trimmers or the like, and has particular. application to an attachment for existing handle structures to provide additional leverage in guiding and operating such a machine.

The invention has for its chief object the provision of an attachment capable of ready application to the handle of a machine of the character referred to, without alteration of the conventional handle structure, and adjustable to any convenient position on the same.

A further object is to provide a handle attachment for the shaft of the handle of a machine of the character referred to, acting as an auxiliary lever to give greater ease to the control and operation'of the machine.

A still further object is the provision of an auxiliary handle of simple design and rugged constructiongfor attachment to the handle of a machine of'the character referred to, and capable of being adjusted to various positions to permil; the machineto be operated from either side thereof, according to the particular conditions of use.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention are accomplished by the provision of the hereinafter-described reversible ham dle structure, comprising, briefly stated, a clamp forattachment to the shaft of the handle of a machine of the character referred to, an angle plate fixed to the clamp, and an auxiliary handle adjustably carried by the angle plate.

The invention will best be understood from the following description, constituting a specification of the same, when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, wherein: V

Figure 1 Visa side elevational viewof the invention showing the same applied to a lawn 2 along the line 1-1 of Figure 6, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 8 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along the line 88 of Figure '7, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 9 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Figure '7, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 10 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along the line H]l@ of Figure '7, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 11 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along the line l|ll of Figure blocking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

While the invention will be described hereinafter in connection with a particular embodiment of the same, it will be understood that the same can be applied with equally satisfactory results wherever a secondary adjustable auxiliary handle is needed, or desirable, on a machine or tool I ventional handle structure 2, usually of generally rectangular cross-section, as best seen in'Figures 2 and 5. The handle 2 is in the form of a shaft of wood, or other suitable material, secured to a yoke 3 by suitable means, such as bolts 4, and is provided at its free ends with a portion 5 of usual design.

The auxiliary reversible handle structure with which the invention is particularly concerned Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 6 is an enlarged front elevational view of'the reversible handle structure removed from the clamp; V

. Figure 7 is a. vertical cross-sectional view talren is attached to the shaft 2 by a clamp comprising a pair of opposed channel-shaped members I and 8 having out-turned flanges, as indicated at ID and II in Figure5. and 8 are preferably of a depth somewhat less than half the thickness of the shaft 2, so that when the same are positioned on the shaft, the out-turned flanges H) and H are slightly spaced apartjas indicated in Figure 5. The out-turned flanges l0 and I! may conveniently be provided with holes M for the reception of bolts l5 provided with nuts It, by which the clamp is secured in position on the shaft 2. By this means the clamp can be positioned at any desired point throughout the length of the shaft 2, and will be firmly held in place on the same.

An angle plate i3 is secured upon the clamp member I, as best seen in Figure l, by welding or other suitable means. The outwardly extending flange of the angle plate It is of semi-circular configuration, as indicated at l9, and carries hand grip The channel members an adjustable handle 20, pivotally secured at one end to the flange of the angle plate by a bolt 2| and disposed substantially perpendicular to the main handle 2. The bolt 2! may be provided with washers 22, whereby the handle 20 is pivotally secured on the angle plate 18 without undesirable. loose play.

The handle 20 may desirably be formed of wood or other easily-shaped materiahand ;at its bottom end 24 is inserted in a socket '25 at the upper end of a flattened bar 26 through which the bolt 21 passes.

angle plate I8, so that the handle may be moved without undue wobbli'ngkor'loose play. -A'iprojection 28, extends downwardly from the socket 25 to bear against the angle plate I8 opposite the bar 26 to further guide the handle 2 in its motion aboutthe'semi-circular edge! of the angle plate.

Notches 30 areprovided in the rounded edge IQ of the angle plate l8 for apurpo'selater to be made apparent. The handlezfi'is-"provided with-a longitudinallyextending groove 35 and-a rod 32 is slidablyrnounted in'this groove and is selectively At its upper 'e r'1d the rod'32 is pivotally se-- cured to a link 31, which in turn is pivotally attached tothe handle 28 by 'a pin 391 A coil spring-48 surrounds the upper end of the rod 32,

1-; one end 'of-t'he spring being inserted through a 3 hole M in -the' rodf' and the 5 other end of the springbeing'secu'red to the handle 20, as indicare-warns in Figure =61 It will thus be seen that the action of the coil spring 4!) is to force the rod 32 downwardly longitudinally of the handle 2H at all times.

The link 3Thasan extension -'45, ex'tending upwardly along the handle 28 above the rod 32, bywhich the rod may b'e moved upwardly against the spring 40 for releasing the end 33 of' the 'rod from the notches 30 of the angle 'pIate l8. Theextension 45 is held in its outward position, as indicated in Figure 7, when the end'33 of the rod- 32' isin engagement with one of the'notches 30, and upon depressing the extension 45 into a Slot 4'! 'in the base of the handle 20, the rod 32 i islifted out of thenotches.

' i In usingthe invention as described above, the

two halves 1 and-' 8 of the clamp are positioned at any desired locationonthe shaft and firmly s'ecure'dinplace by tightening the bolts 15. The

" handle" 28 is then rotated to the desired position, by. depressing the extensi'ori'45 into the g'rooveW'I-aridmoving the handle about the curvededge' 19 of'the'angle' plate l8. As soon can thus' be used to secure additional -leverage in guiding" and operating the machine I. I In the specific embodiment of the invention described above; the same is" applied to a lawn trimmer'particularly useful in trimming the edges of lawns. Such a'machine is frequently oper-c" ated-in locations which makes it necessary to operate the machine'from one side of the same,

' such' aswhen trimming the grass close to a fence,

wall; or other structure.

' L" In such alocation','the invention afiords a great advantage over handles of conventional construc-' The bar" 26 has a relatively large surface in engagement. with thetion, in that the auxiliary handle may be positioned at either side of the shaft 2, as convenience or necessity may dictate, thus providing a means by which additional leverage may be obtained for 5 guiding and operating the machine in locations where it would otherwisebe inconvenient or impossible to use the same; The additional leverage provided by the auxiliary handle is also especially useful when cutting the grass about the borders 10 of flower beds, where it is necessary to maintain onewheel of the trimmer out of contact with the ground over the flower bed while the other wheel :engages the ground adjacent the bed.

It will, of course, be understood that the abovedescribed embodiment of the invention is intended for purposes of illustration only, and many changes may be made in the proportions and arrangement of the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention,-'or"the' scope ofthe appended claims. Having thus clearly shown and "described the invention, what is' claimed and desiredto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a lawn mcv'ier having a "handle shaft,'a clamp embracings'a'id shaft intermediate the length of the latter, a flange upstanding from said clamp, and an auxiliary" handle pivotally secured at one end of said flange and extending outwardly from said shaft substantially perpendicular to'the latter, said auxiliary handle being movable about its pivotal connection with said flange substantiallythrough a 'semi- 'circular range of movement; said flange having angularly spaced apart'notches in its edge, and manually operated detent means carriedlbysaid auxiliary handle and engageable insaidflangeinotches to releasably lock said auxiliary handle in respective; ly different operative positions.

2. In combination with a main handle, a clamp 40 embracing said main handle intermediate the length of the latter a flange upstanding from said clamp and having an arcuately curved edge provided with spaced apart notches, an auxiliary handle pivotally secured at one end to said flange and extending outwardly from said main handle substantially perpendicular to the latter, said auxiliary handle being movable about its pivotal connection with said flange from one to another of diilerent operative positions corresponding to the locations of the notches in the curved edge of said flange, an element movably mounted on said I auxiliary handle and selectively engageable in said notches, resilient means acting between said I auxiliary handle and said element urging said element into Lnotch engaging position, and manually operated means carried .by .said..auxiliary handle andconnected to said elementfcr. moving said elementawayf from its notch engaging position to free said auxiliary handle for movement from one to another of its operativ el positions; j

. a ALFREDJ. EBER.

.""''.REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this'patent:

-UNITED 'STATES"PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 9913,038 Ressler Julyis; 1911 1,389,249' Kitchel Aug;.30,1921 1,441,144 Cutler Jan.2, 1923 2,244,585 Tweit -3. I". June 3,1941 

